Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-29
Frozen to Death.

II can't nelp thinking OF
the remarkable winter Of 'S9 and 40,
when / was frozen 10 death-frozen
square, plumb to death, sir! Nobody
was ever frozen any deader than ! was,
but had the luck to be called back to
life. And that coming back over the |
makes me ache yet 20 think |
Of IT. didn't mind the dying. That
was rather pleasure. But the COM
ing to lifeI II / ever freeze to death
again I'll leave word some way that
the man who resuscitates me does 30 at
his peril.
"fhat was great winter, that win
ter of ,39 and 40. And the fall of '39
wasn't so common, either. Neither
was the spring OF 40. plltell you why.
The first snow of the season fell on Oct.
8, '39. The last snow of the season fell
on May I6, 40. Between these two
dates there wasn't less than six feet of
snow on the level all the time, and
when the wind had good chance at it
20 feet wasn't ANYTHING uncommon
We had sleighing for over eight months
and the thermometer for five months
was at no time higher than 20 above
zero, while the most of the time 1t
sported between Is and 20 degrees be-
low. This memorable fall, winter and
spring am speaking of may not have
been so memorable in this part of the
country. 1t was in New England
where / encountered them, and
especially in Maine, where | then
lived. II they were as memorable as
that hereabout, maybe some of you
will recollect them.
"In February, 1S4O, l had an interest
in some lumber way up In the Piscata-
quis region, and had to go up there
and see how things were getting along.
1t was long journey, but the sleighing
was like glass, and Ihad one of the best
horses that ever stood inside the thills.
On my second day out the thermome-
ter stood at 20 degrees below, and was
inclined to go lower. Iknew | would
reach one of those queer little villages
common to the Maine backwoods early
in the evening. There / intended to
stay all night, and drive on next morn
ing to the house Of the agent of the
lumber property, IL miles further
along. / reached the village and found
that there was no tavern there. Ac-
c0mmodations were offered me at u
private house, but was informed that
/ could not obtain drop of water for
my horse in the entire settlement
There had been no rain since winter
set in, and there wasn't well nor a
spring anywhere in the region in which
there was drop of water. The nearest
water was in the Piscataquis river, two
miles away, to which the few cattle in
the village were driven every day to
drink, and enough water was brought
back in buckets to keep the wants of the
villagers supplied.
"This, of course, upset my plans
MY horse was badly in need of water,
and couldn't think of letting him go
all night without a, drink. So l ate
supper in the village and started on, in
tending to water my horse at the river
and proceed to the agents the same
night. 1t was starlight night, but
the air was filled with that peculiar
frozen mist frequently noticeable on
very cold nights. AS we neared the
river this haze became denser, until il
was with difficulty that I could see any.
thing ahead ofme. 1t was like passing
through storm OF scaly ice. Sudden
ly, as / was thinking that we must
be almost ON the margin of the river
there came cracking sound, a loud
splash of water, and the next second
my horse was fioundering about in The
water, which also covered the sleigh
the robes, and myself up to my waist
In that thick bank Of icy mist thu
horse had plunged into the river below
where we had been told to cross, anC
had broken through the thin ice tina
had formed since the ice had been cuI
Af.nt nxvapsvep foe hn n
allowing the village cattle to drink
The water splashed about by the hors'
soon drenched the rest of me, and il
less time than can tell 1t was coatet
with a rapidly thickening armor Of ice
guess my noble beast must hav
fioundered at least o minute in tina
hole before he knew exactly what ha,
happened. When the situation di,
come to him he became quiet, threw
his fore feet up, and lodged them bot
in the ice with concerted blow like
trip hammer. The ice was thick, bu
beneath that blow an immense cak
was broken off and was carried dow
in under the edge of the ic. below
The horse swan onward, dragging tn
sleigh with it through the rapid
freezing slush. Once more he pounC
ed the Ice ahead of him with his power
full fore feet, and again the ice yielded
During all this time was shouting fp
help. / might, at the first break, hav
turned and leaped back to shore, bu
had not collected myself in time.
was now too late, and even If it had nc
been I was 50 stiffaned by the casing I
ice that ,nnlle't lav.. moved to sav
myself from death. The horse kept OF
and, strange as the story seems, brok
a channel for SO feet across that rive
and drew tile sleigh out safely ON til
other side. AMI lie didn't tarry whe
he got there, but started off at the to
of his speed toward our destination
He soon struck the road and away "
went. / knew that although one dal
ger was escaped, a greater was befo
US, and | urged the horse OIL with m
voice. My robes and clothing ha
frozen no solid that If / had been Ell
cased in iron I could not have bee
more moti0nless. My horse was j
black, but his icy coating made hi
stand out, even In that frozen mist, iii
spectre horse. Icould not move eve
my hands. We were not vet half wa
to the agents house when found m
self growing drowsy. I could no lon
er use my voice. The clatter of Il
horses hoofs and the creaking OF Il
runners on the ice sounded to me iii
thunder claps and wierd, hideous erie
/ knew that / was freezing, but
labored hard to rouse my will and figl
u skGL =